Support widows and orphans through community activities

In 1998  Gitaru Marigu group was founded as a ‘self help’ group with the Department of Social Services, Kenya. The founding members set up the group as a way to support people in the local community impacted by the HIV/AIDS crisis, especially widows, widowers, and orphans.

Over the years, they’ve helped a lot of children stay in school, and at the time Bees Abroad started working with them they were supporting 12 local children through food and education. They now support 15 children. The group’s mission is to make sure every child’s needs are met, from health to education. 

Beekeeping for self-sufficiency

In 2020, the group decided to try something new for extra income—they bought 10 beehives and started beekeeping. Now, just a few years later, they’ve got three apiaries with 60 hives, 43 of which are colonised.

Their hard work is paying off: in 2024 alone, they harvested 121.8 kilograms of honey. The group has been selling their honey at 700 KSH per kg (£4.25), which means their harvest could fetch over 84,000KSH (£500), an impressive amount considering minimum wage is 15,120 KES per month.

A Community Centre build through Community Spirit

The Gitaru Marigu are reinvesting the honey money in the community. When they first started they meet at a nursery school which they sponsor, and they’ve recently started building a new community center with some of the proceeds from the honey sales. This center, set to open in early 2025, will be a hub for meetings, trainings, and honey processing, giving the group a dedicated space they can call their own.

In just four years they’ve gone from beginner beekeepers to award-winning honey producers. Some of the flora available to their bees include fruit trees, maize, sunflower and beans among wild shrubs such as angel’s trumpet. Bees Abroad entered their honey to class 12 at the National Honey Show in the U.K. where they received a “Highly Commended” award. 

One donation, double the impact

We depend on our amazing supporters to make this work happen – 40% of our donations come from individuals. Support communities like the Gitaru Marigu beekeepers today.

For one week only 3-10th December your donation matched, doubling the impact!

Donate £10 to unlock another £10, a total of £20 to help turn community spirit in to community action. Minimum donation of £1, that will become £2 for us. Or turn £500 in to a whopping £1,000. One donation, DOUBLE the impact.